The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-27
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety OF interesting
Subjects.


Replies to Questions on a Variety OF Interesting
Subjects.
To CorrespondenLs.-Write questions on a sep
arate sheet of paper, give flil name and address,
and mark IL CORRESPONDENCE Column No atten-
ton will be paid to communications that are not
accompanied with full name and address of writer.
Our readers are requested to inclOse stamp for
reply To their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied to by mail only. Replies by mail will Ordi-
narily be made within a week, and if in this col
umn within three weeks.l
w. b., Greenfield Mass.-A man who was a pris-
oner of war at Andersonvile, Ga enlisted in the
Confederate army, but deserted before doing duty
"a a soldier and returned to his regiment i'm the
Union army, drew Communication of rations, and has
an honorable discharge. Having been disabled
while prisoner. can he draw "a pension? AnstVer
No. Section 57l6 of the Revised Statutes of the
United states provides that no money account
OF pension shall be paid to any person. or to the
widow. children or heirs of any deceased person.
who in any manner Uoiuntariiy engaged I'm, or
aided or Allotted, the late rebellion against the
authority of the United States"
T.. b., Harrison, Nch.-Has the law declaring
the railroad land grants of the Upper Peninsula Of
Michigan to be forfeited ever been signed by the
President? AnstUer. There was no law passed by
the last Congress forfeiting railroad land grants
1t Is probable you refer to recent decisions of
the Department of the Interior. by which certain
indemnity lands claimed by various railroad COM
panies were declared forfeited.
T. g., appleton City, NO.-A Quartermaster's en-
ploye would not be entitled to the benefits of the
istiDg laws.
r. b., Miners Mills, Pa.-You should apply 70 the
Adiutant General of the United States Army for a
certificate OF honorable service and discharge, in
lieu Of your discharge certificate which has been
lost.
r. L. b., 81. Louis, MOL enlisted on the sth
day of October. 1861, to serve three years; was
taken prisoner during September 1862, and was
honorably discharged Aug. "a, 1863, by special
order from headquarters. Department of Missouri
Have never received any bounty Am entitled
to the same; and II so, to whom must I apply |?
Answer. You are not entitled 20 bounty, because
you served less than two years and were discharged
for a cause other than rounds
s. II. McA.. BrlGin Pa.-Wiii the following claims
draw arrears: Fathers pension claim No. 3O6 325
and widows claim No. 3ll, 1872 Answer. Neither
one can draw arrears Both were filed after June
30. 1880 The pension when allowed will COM
mence only from date of fling the claim.
j. G.-l- have the certificate of my discharge in
ragged condition. Could get it copied on new
certificate? 2. III a soldier who has served in one
regiment IL months is discharged for disability
csiving 900 bounty. and re-enlist5 in another in
April. 1854 to serve three years during the war
and Is discharged at the close of the war il he ent
tied to further bounty? 8 Which regiment COW
cred the retreat of the Federal troops at the first
battle OF Bull Run? ARSlUsr. /. No. 2. You may
be entitled to bounty for the second service if YOUR
record was clear. We cannot determine however
without an examination of the discharge. g. 10 is
generally conceded that Blenker's Brigade con-
ssting of the sh, 10Th and Syth N Y, covered the
retreat of the Union army at said battle.
Il. B. w., Black River. " Y.-My mother is pen
soner of the war of 1872 She has certificate call
ing for S33 with interest at the rate Of per cent
per annum, from August 1858 for contingent ex-
penses adjudged to my father by the provisions of
the act of April 8 1889 II appears that there was
not money enough appropriated TO pay them all,
and hers remains unpaid. Has any appropriation
been made since for this purpose? Ansiger. No
money has been appropriated for the payment of
such certificates, although attempts have several
times been made to secure legislation ON the sub
jeet. IL Is a debt against the State of New York.
and not against the General Government.
j. H. H., Terre HUI, PG.-DO the Pension Laws
jury received in battle or will the evidence of q
private, who was subsequently promoted answer?
insurer. IL is rule that if there be record of
the injury, you will be required to furnish the
timOny of one commissioned officer, an Orderly
Sergeant, or two privateS showing the time, place
and circumstances under which the injury re-
eetved. The testimony of II private who afterward
became promoted would suffice in ordinary
case.
l. ID. g., ElenriIe ~ FL enlisted in September.
1861, and was discharged in 1883. In the Winter of
1851 and 1862 contracted piles. Had no medical
treatment from Regimenial Surgeon. In July
1882. while on march, became disabled from a
fall in crossing fence, causing varicOse veins about
the ankle. was thereupOn sent to the Hospital
ut Washington for discharge and was there treated
for this disability, together with piles till dis
charged. Am i not entitled to bounty my
ankle disability AnsCer. Ifthe records show that
you were discharged for piles, you cannot obtain
bounty. No bounty could be paid in your case UNI
less you were discharged simply for the injury no
disease being mentioned. The fact that you were
injured would have no bearing upon the case I'M
". p A.. Worthwhile, ". I'll. Can a soldier take
up homestead and treeclaim in one block of 800
acres? 2. Will the six months allowed a soldier
for settlement reduce his time that much or will t
date from actual settlement? & How old must a
person be before he can take up a Government
claim? Anstger. L. Yes; provided, of course, a
tract OF such favorable conditions can be found 2
residence on n homestead dates from the time of
settlement, and not from the date Of fling g A
person must be q years of age, or the head of a
family, to be entitled To enter any Government
land under the settlement and Improvement laws.
IT, O., Uest Derby Vt-Please let me know how
to get n certificate of discharge for service in the
United States Navy? 4ISUer You cannot obtain
q certificate of discharge from the United States
Navy. The Department will. upon proper appli-
cation from the Post which you desire to iOin fur
nish said Post with q transcript of your record,
which will be sufficient for your purpose.
8. H.. Renfresg, Pd-Can widow draw her hus-
bands pension from the time of his discharges UP
his death, even though she gets married, again III
she does not draw any from his DEATH would she
be debarred said money if she changed her name
by marriage before drawing? AIlStger. III a soldier
files his pension claim and dies before il is allowed
his widow complete his claim and draw all the
pension he would have been entitled to receive.
The fact of her remarrying would not prevent her
from completing said claim. If. on the other hand
he never fled his claim during his lifetime, then
she can draw no pension for any period prior to
his death. OF course all pension 70 which the
widow would be entitled her own account
would cease upon her remarriage. The widow
could not ME a claim after her remarriage II such
remarriage has taken place since June 30, 1850.
3. II. L., Lincoln, Neb.-An attorney files n claim
for invalid pension has claim completed; also
articles of agreement for fee of SOS and after the
claim has been allowed, certificate and voucher
being forwarded tO the soldier, the latter dies be-
fore he can make out voucher, leaving no heirs.
Would the attorney be paid out of the accrued pen
sion or lose his fee? 4RSI0sr In such a the
attorney would lose his fee altogether, which could
not in such ease be paid. according to law. (See
section I7l8 of the United States Revised Statutes
which expressly states that accrued pension is not
To be used in the payment OF any debts of deee-
dents estate.t
". j. d., Ororiile CAL Do you think that the
coming Congress will pass law extending the
time of limitation of the Arrears of Pension Act I?
2 Do you not think it very wrong for the Govern
meht not to treat all alike? 3. Why is it that there
Is very little said about this matter Just now? IN
stger. l. We have every reason to believe that the
matter will come up in Congress. and there are
chances that IL will receive favorable action.
2. Yes 3. Congress is not yet in session. 10 will
be talked of when the time comes.